Motor-vehicle.



' M. WALTER.

MOTOR VEHICLB APPLICATION FILED ozc. 20, i913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. WALTER.

MOTOR VEHICLE APPLICATiON FILED DEC. 20, 9K3- Pafiente Jan. 4, 1916.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

M. WALTER.

MOTOR VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20, 1913.

4 t A E n wh v E m H I l l l 1 I M. WALTER. MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLlCATlOH FILED DEC. 20. 1913- Llfifigfic Patented Jan. 4, 1916,

r 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

M. WALTER.

MOTOR VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20. 1913 Patented Jan. 4

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- Inventor: JfW' I" I I Attie NIT f.

STATES PATENT OFFICE MAURICE WALTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MOTOR-VEHICLE.

Application filed December 20, 1913.

panying drawings, which form a part hereof.

This invention relates to motor vehicles in which the front wheels are both drive and steering wheels, and in which the driving power is transmitted to the drive wheels through two transverse Cardan shafts, usually mounted above the axle on which the wheels are supported. In motor vehicles of this description, as heretofore constructed, the Cardan shafts have been driven through universal joints from a differential gear, but the change-speed shaft of the transmission has been arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle and usually in front of the front axle. This construction has required three sets of intermediate gears and has been somewhat cumbersome and difficult of access.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction and arrangement of the parts with respect to the change-speed gear and its connections to the Cardan shafts and especially to require a smaller number of intermediate gears than in the old construction, to provide for the more compact arrangement of the parts with respect to the axis of'the motor shaft and the front axle so that the Cardan shafts may be more nearly horizontal without requiring the motor shaft to be placed too low, and so that the motor may be close to the differential and therefore with a minimum of forward overhang and to make all parts of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 807,855.

panying drawings in which it is illustrated and in which- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a motor truck equipped with the invention, the near front wheel being removed and the axle Patented Jan. 4, 1 916.

and some other parts being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view partly in side elevation and partly in section showing the clutch, the change-speed gear and a portion of the differential gear, the scale of the figure being larger than that of Figs. 1 and 4 is a top view of the art; shown in Fig. 3, also partly in section, and showing also parts of the two Cardar. shafts. Fig. 5 is a view generally similar to Fig. 3 but lllustrating a difi'erent form of operative connection between the second shaft of the change-speed gear and the differential. Fig. 6 is a partial view of the same partly in elevation and partly in section. Fig. 7 is a detail front view of the parts shown in Fig. 6 with the clutch removed.

The main frame a of the truck shown in the drawings may be constructed in any suitable'manner and may be provided as usual with a rear axle a suspended by springs a and rear wheels a one of which is shown in Fig. 1. At its forward end the frame supports a suitable motor I) and in' rear of the motor is provided with usual springs 0 which support in 'usual manner the front axle c. On the latter are supported, by the usual steering knuckles 0 the front wheels 0 which are provided each with an inclosed gear as at 0 adapted to be engaged by a driving pinion, indicated at d, on the end of the corresponding Cardan shaft cl". The Cardan shafts (l' are supported in the usual manner and at their inner ends are connected by suitable universal joints, indicated at (P, with the members of a difierential gear 6 which may be of usual construction.

The middle or driving member of the differential gear, in the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is provided witha bevel gear 6 which is engaged by a bevel pinion f on the front end of the second shaft f of the change-speed gear. The change-speed gear may be constructed in any suitable manner, the second shaft f and the first shaft f being shown as providid with the 7 arrangement, as will be observed, not only requires only one set of intermediate gears between the cl1angespe'ed gear and the differential gear, that is, the bevel pinion and the bevel gear a, but it permits the Cardan shafts to be very nearly horizontal, as is highly desirable in the transmission of power through them, while at the same time they are free to move as required by the movements of the front driving wheels with respect to the motor shaft. It also permits the placing of the differential directly behind the motor: thereby shortening the distance from the motor to the Cardan shafts and consequently to the front axle.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the first shaft 7 of the changespeed gear is similarly arranged in line with the motor shaft 2' from which it is driven through the clutch h and the short shaft section g as before. The second shaft 7" of the change speed gear may also be driven-as before from the first shaft through the changespeed pinions f and f. In this instance, however, the second shaft f, with its axis above, or as shown, below the axis of the differential gear, is provided on the front end with aworm P which meshes with aworm gear e on the middle or driving member of the differential gear e, to which the Cardan shafts d are operatively connected through universal joints indicated at (Z It will be observed that when the gear shafts are placed, generally in the longitu dinal plane of the motor vehicle, whether exactly horizontal and with the first shaft in line with the motor shaft as shown 111 Figs.'2 and 3, or not, and whether the second shaft is in the same plane with the axis of the differential gear as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or out of that plane, as shown in Figs. 6

and 7, the general arrangement of the changespeed gear with its axes transverse to the axis of the differential gear and behind it, permits a very compact arrangement of the parts and the Cardan shafts to be placed. substantially horizontal without requiring the axis of the motor shaft to be placed too low and shortens the overhang of the motor. It will also be observed that the improved'construction permits the differential gear and the change-speed gear with theirconnections to the Cardan shaft and to the clutch to be assembled as a unitary transmission mechanism, in a common casing which may be readily securedto the motor casing and that when such casing is opened all of the parts of the transmission mechanism are readily accessible.

I claim as my invention 1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a motor, front drive and steering wheelsllardan shafts for the wheels, a differential gear between the Cardan shafts, and universal couplings between the differential gear and the Cardan shafts, of a change-speed gear directly behind the differential gear with its axes longitudinally disposed and its first shaft in line with the motor shaft and opcrativelv connected therewith, and a single set of intermediate gears between the second shaft of the changespeed gear and the differential gear.

2. in a motor vehicle, the combination with a motor, front drive and steering wheels, Cardan shafts for the wheels, a differential gear between the Cardan shafts, and universal couplings between the differential gear and the Cardan shafts, of a change-speed gear directly behind the differential gear with its axes longitudinally disposed, a driving connection between the motor and the first shaft of the changespeed gear, a bevel gear on the differential gear, and a bevel pinion on the second shaft of the change-speed gear and in mesh with said bevel gear.

In a motor vehicle, the "combination with a motor, front drive and steering wheels, Cardan shafts for the wheels, a differential' gear between the Cardan shafts, and universal couplings between the differential gear and the Cardan shafts, of a change-speed gear with its axes longitudinally disposed, operative connections be tween the motor and the change-speed gear, and a single set of intermediate gears between the changespeed gear and the differential gear, the differential gear being directly behind the motor and engaged at the front end of the change-speed gear.

4. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a 'motor, front drive and steering wheels, Cardan shafts for the wheels, a differential gear between the'Cardan shafts, and universal couplings between the differential gear and the Cardan shafts, of a change-speed gear with its axes longitudinally disposed and its first shaft in line with the motor shaft and operatively 'connected therewith, and a single set of intermediate gears between the second shaft of the change-speed gear and the differential gear, the differential gear being directly behind the motor and connected at the front end of the change-speed gear.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combinationferential gear'between the Garden shafts,

"-1? couplings between the differ-- v and. the Curda'n. shaft t of a chzm n-speeifl gem with its axes k ngitudinuliy disposed, a driving QODDQCtifiY) between the motor and thv first shaft of Hm chang'w $139961 gear, a] bevel, gear on the ditfsrontinl gem, and a bevel Anion 0n the second. shaft of the changesymd gear' and in mvsh with said bevel gear, the difi'elqe-ntial ggzu: being was 33 directly behind the motor amt the bevel pin- 10 ion on the second shaft of the change-speed gear being at the front end thereof.

Thie specification signed and witnessed this n'h'mtegnth @my of December' A. 11,1913.

MAURICE WALTER. Signed in the presence of- \V. B. (wrlmmmy EVORTHIXGTON CAMPBELL. 

